Floor Screed not quite right?

I did a little bit of screeding on a small area. 3 parts sharp sand to one part cement. Just enough water to let it ball up in your hand. Mixed it all up and laid it down. The problem i had was it was a right pain to lay down as it seemed so dry! Well I kept telling myself its the right mix and finished the job.

Its been dying for a couple of hours now and it still seems gritty and you can still rub the surface and it will come away, unlike concrete.

Is this how its meant to be? I'm hoping it hardens by tomorrow and no one will be walking over it for a couple of days. Someone put my mind to rest!

Cheers!

Alright panic over! seems to have harden off OK and not sandy any more!

Cheers

Phew!

it is a very odd mix i know!

but in order to get a hard wearing dust free surface, a dry mix is the only way.

because sharp sand is being used, there is little doubt that it will eventually set hard. metal troweling will help to compact the surface.

incidentally, there are only a few cupfuls of water difference between a wet mix and a dry mix.